40-Year-Old Echoes; Cyprus Talks

40 years ago today, Rauf Denktash and Glafkos Clerides had their 30th meeting at Denktash' house on December 12th, 1969 within the third phase of the inter-communal talks.

Before the meeting, Clerides answered a Turkish journalist's questions regarding Enosis (union) with Greece, according to a press release from the time.

"The policy of the Cyprus Government...are to seek a feasible solution of the Cyprus problem and not the desired solution...During my discussions in Athens, the same thing was told to me by the Greek Government," said Clerides.

Asked to comment on press reports about Cyprus coming under the joint rule of Greece and Turkey, Clerides said these reports referred to efforts made in the past to solve the Cyprus problem and mainly to the Acheson Plan, a plan proposed by US democrat Dean Gooderham Acheson. He said there were no plans to change the constitutional basis of the talks.

Asked whether there had been an agreement on common electoral rolls, Clerides said the matter had been referred to a special sub-committee.

For his part, Mr. Denktash said that the question of the judiciary had been discussed in the inter-communal meeting, however the discussion was not expected to be completed that day.

In another press release from the 12th December 1969, the President of Turkey General Cevdet Sunay sent a telegram to President Makarios saying 'while overflying Cyprus I wish to convey to your Excellency and to the people of Cyprus my best wishes for happiness and well being.'

In response, Makarios said in a telegram: 'warm thanks for your kind wishes which I reciprocate.'